I sat down with iPad in hand to write a haiku for the day but quickly discovered I had more I wanted to write about than an iPad could comfortably allow. I don’t know about you guys but sometimes I need an actual keyboard to type on and I have already collected so many gadgets and do-dads that the idea of buying an iPad case with keyboard thing in it doesn’t make much sense to me. Though Mrs. SoulDoc recently bought one and she loves it, and it does look pretty cool…….must resist addiction to amazon….

On the top of my list, or close to it anyway (more on that in a sec) is Happy Juneteenth everyone!!!! A day of celebration of the end of the sinful scourge that was human slavery in this country.

For my readers who are not in the USofA a bit of history. The United States, home of the brave and land of the free, used to have and was essentially built economically on the backs of slaves. Yes I know that slavery did not start in America and yes I know that slavery still exists in this world (and no I am not talking about having a job you hate but need to survive, I’m talking about actual slavery) but for the first 100 years of this country’s history, and yes the first 200+ years of colonies on this continent, it was perfectly legal in some parts of the country for one person to own another. I don’t mean hire at crap wages either. I mean actual ownership, like you a person would own an ox or a horse in other countries (hell other parts of the USA). A slave owner could literally do whatever he wished (at the time women were not allowed to own property) with his enslaved person and often did, but mostly the enslaved peoples were just around to do all the work a slave owner did not want to do.

Much to the denial of large parts of my country today, slavery was not very popular at the time (Jackson in his original Declaration of Independence blamed slavery on Britain and even attempted to ban slavery altogether in the original Constitution but the Southern states would not have that) and as it became more and more clear that the Lincoln administration was going to attempt to get rid of it entirely the southern states decided they would exit the union rather than attempt to fight this change in congress. I could say so much more…so very much more

anyway the Civil War ensued, the southern states (known as the Confederate States of America) lost and slavery was banned with the Emancipation Proclamation. However slavery remained legal in this country because a constitutional amendment had to be passed to end it. The 13th Amendment was passed by congress in 1864ish and ratified by the required number of states in December 1865 but the southern states did not give up there slaves right away, or at all in many cases, until the US Army came onto the scene and forced the issue. Forgive me if I have my dates wrong (I’m a psychologist not a historian Jim) but I believe it was 1867 before the last slaves were informed they were free in Texas (don’t get me started on Texas) on June 19th.

Hence the creation of a holiday that no white person had heard of until 2021 (in many cases) when the Biden Administration finally recognized the day as a federal holiday. Sorry for the long explanation but we here in America have a real problem with history and acknowledgement of said history but we do and it sucks.

Anyway happy Juneteenth or what I like to think of as actual independence day. Maybe freedom day?

Next on my list of stuff to babble about is the Missus and I are heading out of town today for a little Adventure Time. Technically I am going to a psychotherapy conference to learn all the latest and greatest wiz bang therapy methods, but this is not the place for technicality.

I will be learning (hopefully) how scientifically sound the claims that psychedelic assisted therapy (or what I think of as tripping balls for your mental health) actually are. I don’t know if I believe the claims, but some of the research appears sound. I have personally used psychedelics in my life (many, many years ago) for the express purpose of having a good time. I’m not sure how much inner work I accomplished in those years but I do recall having an amazing time at many concerts over the years (OMG Pink Floyd on Acid!!!!).

I also recall thinking that everyone should have to have at least one LSD trip in their lives so they can not only see how connected the universe and humanity is with all of nature but maybe stop being total dicks all the time.

Anyway more to come on that subject I’m sure.

We will also be stopping by the Stanley Hotel for a few days and nights of ghost hunting and mindless souvenir shopping. I am sure a good time will be had by all.

So if postings are sparse for the next week or so, that is why. I haven’t abandoned my blog or disappeared, and no my other writing projects have not taken what is left of my focus and concentration. I have simply scheduled some much needed vacay time and disguised part of it as a quest to maintain my license by learning about new psychotherapeutic techniques.

Speaking of my blog, last and certainly not least, thank you all for continuing to follow, read, like, comment, and join me on this journey. I now have 67 followers and could not be more amazed! I know most of you prefer the poetry to these rambling rants, psychological or not, and I vow to keep those coming. I will also be posting more of my AI art as I continue to tinker with that sort of platform.

Thank you for supporting me with your presence. It means more to me than I could have ever imagined.